BREAKING NEWS: N.M. moves to halt first U.S. horse slaughterhouse

New Mexico’s attorney general has ruled that horse meat is an adulterated product, which animal-rights advocates said should halt a slaughterhouse that had applied to become the first in the U.S. to resume horse slaughter for human consumption.

Attorney General Gary King’s decision puts an end to a bid by Valley Meat Company in Roswell, N.M., to become the first horse meat slaughterhouse to operate since 2007, when Congress shut the practice down by banning inspections. Without inspections, the meat couldn’t be processed.

“Our legal analysis concludes that state law does not allow for production of meat that is chemically tainted under federal regulations,” Mr. King said. “New Mexico law is very clear that it would be prohibited and illegal.”

State Sen. Richard Martinez had requested the review, which concluded that horse meat fits the legal definition of an “adulterated food product” if the meat came from horses that had been treated with drugs — which animal-rights activists said is true for horses raised in the U.S. CONTINUED – Read the rest of the Article

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AUTHOR:
Jerry Finch

32 Comments

mstorace

Debbie Tracy

OH MY GOD, I am FLIPPING OUT I mean I can’t contain myself I am so elated……..

FINALLY, THANK You Gary King doesn’t seem enough to say but I am SO THANKFUL………

I have no words other than smiling from ear to ear YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS 🙂

June 10, 2013

Margaret

Not meaning to rain on anyone’s parade (and yes, I’m very happy with the news–FINALLY)but is there a chance they can appeal this and somehow try to turn this around in their favor? Or this now a FINAL AND DONE DEAL?

Doing the happy dance myself! We’ve been trying for months to get Mr. Santos to understand the adulteration aspect of his business model. Too bad he spent so much money and time trying to put something together that never would fly in the first place.

June 10, 2013

Lisa L.

I’m right there with ya, Margaret, however, could a business owner REALLY force an Attorney General AND a State to allow him to open a business overwhelmingly opposed by the voting public of that state?

I know corporations tend to get their way but how far is too far?

June 10, 2013

Myra

Happy Dance!! Whoop Whoop 🙂 🙂

June 10, 2013

Debbie Tracy

I just read an article that Att. Blair Dunn say’s this has no impact on the plant’s opening??? Say’s they have a tested drug residue program, will he or they ever STOP??? What are we to think about this statement????

ARE WE ALL getting excited for NOTHING??? I certainly don’t mean to ruin this excitement but I don’t trust DUNN or Valley MEAT in how corrupt they can be??? YOU KNOW?????

June 10, 2013

sherriey

ROTFLMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yyyyyyyiiiiiiiippppppppppeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!
very very very happy!!!!!!
thank you LORD! today is a good day! the best!!!

June 10, 2013

Judy Wendt

No falsified “papers” for horses either!!!!! This De Los Santos is a known felon. Lying about it alone should have been enough to have his application denied. Then again, the pattern of environmental pollution that caused him previous fines when he slaughtered cattle would be more law breaking when he continued to defile the community of Roswell. His subsequent bankruptcy from the cattle slaughterhouse had to have left very few intelligent investors, so the entire “business venture” was sketchy from the “get go.”

There are ssssoooo many reasons to keep this from happening. Glad the NM Attorney General has chosen one that coincides with the SAFE Act.

June 10, 2013

Ricky Rogers

Can hardly wait to here what his attorney has to say – I know it’s going to be the old conspiracy theory again.

June 10, 2013

karen

HUGE NEWS!! Thanks Jerry and to everyone who has been active in the protest. Horses are not food, they are friends, just like my dogs. I saw a wonderful video today about this subject. If only all kids thought this way.

Judy Wendt

“Out of the mouths of babes,” Karen. Like that beautiful child, we all know the truth before we are inculcated into violating and objectifying animals. Horses are not “ingredients” to be added to a dish. There is no need to eat our horses, in fact, flesh is not classified as a super food the way beans and peas are for protein, fiber, vitamins.

So many foods are made from texturized vegetable proteins now – healthier, lower fat, less carcinogen, much less gruesome – that it is barbaric to continue killing and eating dead carcasses, especially considering the toxins they have consumed either as factory farmed or as companions.

June 10, 2013

Mary Anne Gardner

Judith Keene

This is great news, but i wonder what effect this will have in other states that are trying to start up horse slaughter? Im also wondering if DeLos Santos will simply sell out his plant in NM and buy up another in another state? Or would other states rule as NM has done? All the more reason why we really need to get the SAFE FOOD ACT passed!

June 10, 2013

Dovie

Sweet things are made of this! Oh yeah! the good news keeps rollin out!!

June 11, 2013

Anita Warren

Great news! This is Soooo Awesome! Thank You for saving our HORSES, God Bless!

June 11, 2013

kathy

Hopefully on top of this..He will be prosecuted & Fined out the wahoo For Violating The Clean Water Act by operating all those years with no NPDES permit..

June 11, 2013

Paula

i hope this is the beginning of every state in the United States to keep the ban on horse slaughter, horses should not have to suffer inhumanely to let someone make a buck, You would have to be a very sick individual to be able to shoot a horse in the head and then hang it on a hook and skin it even when it’s still alive, what kind of person could do that day in and day out, I know I couldn’t do it and get paid to do it, if you have seen some of the video’s I have seen during this debate, you would be so against this even if you don’t like horses. Natures Child was the one in the video….. just because she /he didn’t win was put to slaughter right in front of another horse who was so scared it’s legs started to shake so bad, it was shot next and was still alive when they started butchering it, this slaughtering of horses is so inhumane it never should be allowed to start again, tell the cattle ranchers to start shipping beef overseas if they want more money and leave our horses alone!!!!!!

June 11, 2013

Lindalee Custard

Paula…………I to have seen the videos. I loved your comment….well said…well written

June 12, 2013

Arlene

HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY DANCE WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Did I mention how HAPPY I am ?????????? OMG !! Our Magnificent Horses will be safe !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! From this HORROR !!!!!!!!! Huge Hugs and Kisses for everyone here , also Gary King !!!!!!!! OMG !!! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY We have all here tried so hard all our waking moments , God Bless all , and most of all to our Wonderful Treasures, OUR HORSES !!!!!!!!!

June 11, 2013

Arlene

Come on the rest of AMERICA BAN HORSE SLAUGHTER ENTIRELY !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Horses have been forced to endure this Horror for far too long !!!!! PLEASE , these are absolutely Beautiful Creatures to whom we all owe so much !!!! MOST OF ALL we OWE them FREEDOM TO ROAM !!!!!!!!

June 11, 2013

Suzanne

I thank God for this ruling!
Now, we need to focus our attention on other states who are still considering opening a horse slaughtering facility. Iowa is one such state and I live here. Please everyone, check online where you can send comments to the state government here.
I cannot believe that anyone would seriously consider opening one of these terrible plants. Doesn’t anyone learn? All a community has to do is read what towns who had one of these facilities went through and no one with a right mind would want this in their area. Also, horsemeat is dangerous for humans! Why are these foreigners allowed to come here, pollute our water and our air and who knows what else, kill our horses and take almost every dime of profit and send it overseas? These people should be sent packing, once and for all! Our horses do not deserve a fate such as slaughter. Anyone who says there is “humane slaughter,” is clearly delusional. If we all work together, we can get the threat of horse slaughter stopped, forever. Write, email, and call your state and federal representatives and ask that they support anti-horse slaughter legislation. It is far past time to get the evil of horse slaughter stopped, forever!

June 11, 2013

patti

woooooooo FN hoooooooo…. in a comment to Atty Gen King of N.M.
As I resident of Oklahoma, I wanted to stop and thank you for standing up against horse slaughter. Sadly, our Gov Mary Fallin went against 80% of voters and back doored a horse slaughter bill on a holiday. No moral or ethical values it seems. You made not only an intelligent decision for humans and environment, but a compassionate one for horses. Thanks from a “Oklahoma Fan”…take a moment ,please and write on his FB page…

June 11, 2013

Deedie

I’m so sick of that picture of Rick de los Santos holding that stupid pneumatic captive bolt gun I could puke. Dunn is a lawyer. He knows nothing about horses or horse slaughter. He is just there to help this “man” find any loop hole he can to open an unneeded, unwanted horse slaughter plant. When will they stop? Can’t they see the opposition to horse slaughter in this country?

June 11, 2013

Linda Jackson

Although this benchmark event moves closer to ending horseslaughter, does this affect the transport to Mexico and Canada? A short time ago a tractor trailer crashed with 30 (?) horses killed in New York on the way to Canada.

Yay! horses are not food! they are family members they show more love and effection than most humans do, next time someone w3ants to eat a family pet, let em eat their own…sicki and tired of this even being an issue,, all horseslaaughter should cease! Breeding should cease until there is a bbalance, awareness should increase, horses are different, they are the most forgiving animal on the planet, they will defend you ith their own life, and if there is any horse owners out there that do not know that in their own heart, it is because you never had to be in that position, be grateful! Praying this sticks and that ll horse slaughter everywhere stops!

June 11, 2013

Susan Setzke

This is some of the best news yet. I have actually had nightmares where I see De Los Santos standing there in his white butcher’s coat holding that modified, unapproved, captive bolt gun. It still gives me the chills. With this victory, the NAS report condemning the damaging mismanagement of our wild horses by the BLM, the first step approved toward banning horse slaughter and the transport of horses for slaughter in Maine, and the continued and growing support for the SAFE Act in the House and Senate, we are gaining momentum for a complete end to this heinous industry in the U.S. Now, let’s work to get the de-funding language via the Moran Amendment put back in the 2014 budget. Call all the legislators on the House Appropriation Committee and tell them to de-fund horse slaughter inspections in the 2014 budget and pass the SAFE Act.

June 11, 2013

Arlene

OMG Susan we shared a similar dream about this so called human being , he fits the part to a t, Wow , I wish i didnt see his picture ……..He could be the poster man for animal slaughter, this is one weird looking person…..Kinds gives me the shivers !!!!! Sorry dont mean to stereotype but ????? !!!!

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